One in 8 people in the Spokane community is food insecure, including 1 in 5 children. That means they do not know where their next meal is going to come from. (2nd Harvest, August. 2017)

Food insecurity is defined as having to cut meal size or skip meals, because there was not enough money for food at least once in the last year. Among youth in Spokane County in 2014, 16% reported experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity decreased as maternal education level increased and was more likely among males, blacks, Native Americans/Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and multi-racial youth. (2015 Spokane Counts, Spokane Regional Health District)

Jail inmates (in Bonner County, ID) give back to the community by growing and donating more than 5,000 lbs. from their quarter-acre garden located near the jail.

What You Can Do

Real Food Spokane. Learn about nutrition, gardening, farmers markets, and ways you can get involved in making fresh, local food available to area residents and institutions. For more information, contact Nathan CaleneSpokane Food Policy CouncilCity of Spokane (509) 279-8596ncalene@spokanecity.orghttp://www.spokanefoodpolicy.org

Locate your closest food bank, find
out what hours they are open, and take garden and other food donations
to them. Most food banks are only open for limited hours.

Donate food to food drives sponsored by reputable organizations such as the Boy Scouts, US Postal Service, churches, and food banks.

Help collect and transport food to the food banks.

Help serve meals at local soup kitchens. Although food programs are not at the root of the real problem, we must realize there are many people going hungry every day.

Raise awareness about hunger.
Consider the way Spokane’s Community Colleges raised awareness about hunger in Spokane
and around the world, by hosting an Oxfam Hunger Banquet in May 2007.
At the banquet, approximately 15% of the guests were randomly assigned
to an “upper class” group; another 25% to the “middle class”; and 60% to
the “lower class.” Each group’s dinner menu reflected their economic
status, from a gourmet meal to a simple glass of water and a piece of
bread. The goal was to illustrate the unequal distribution of food
around the world. Tickets for the event were $2/person or $5/family of
three or more. Proceeds benefited the House of Charity in Spokane. (509) 533-8221